Hiring for Emotional Intelligence

(For Human Resource & Hiring Managers)

Overview

Why do hiring managers seek people with high emotional intelligence?

While IQ and technical competence remain vital criteria for hiring and promotions, they alone do not predict who will excel or cause significant workplace challenges. Traditionally, hiring decisions focus heavily on IQ and technical skills, often overlooking emotional intelligence (EQ). This oversight can result in workplaces filled with toxic and cutthroat behaviors among employees and leaders.

Research indicates that technical expertise isn’t the primary driver of turnover, performance issues, stress claims, or morale problems—it’s how people treat one another. Hiring individuals with high EQ addresses this challenge by fostering positive workplace interactions. Candidates’ EQ skills can often be observed during interviews, making it essential for hiring managers to develop strategies for identifying these traits.

Studies on Emotional Intelligence reveal that incorporating EQ into hiring practices gives organizations a competitive edge. Prioritizing EQ helps ensure the recruitment of individuals who contribute to a collaborative, productive environment while filtering out potentially harmful hires.

Key Points

• Traditional Hiring Practices: Emphasis on IQ and technical competence often overlooks EQ, leading to workplace toxicity.
• Impact of EQ: High EQ mitigates issues like turnover, stress claims, and low morale by promoting healthier workplace interactions.
• Observable Skills: EQ can be assessed during interviews, enabling hiring managers to identify and select emotionally intelligent candidates.
• Competitive Advantage: Screening for EQ in hiring practices equips organizations with a more harmonious and effective workforce.

Features & Design

• Discover how Emotional Intelligence is used in the interview process.
• Explore what high and low EQ look and sound like at your organization.
• Practice the EQ interview questions that will reveal high or low EQ.
• Engage with EQ scenarios and solve real interview challenges shared by others.
• Craft custom EQ interview questions that fit your organization’s culture and ask them in role-plays.
• Learn how to gather additional EQ behavioral evidence outside of the formal interview.
• Discuss with your fellow participants how to use the EQ evidence to summarize and evaluate.

Benefits & Outcome

• Understand what EQ skills are and how to develop them.
• Spot evidence of high and low EQ throughout the entire interview process.
• Ask the right questions and dig below the surface.
• Listen and watch for clues in candidate responses and behavior
• How to spot candidates high in EQ.
• How to hone your radar for detecting evidence of low EQ behaviors to avoid toxic hires.
• How to identify and evaluate EQ skills both inside and outside of the formal interview to maximize a successful hiring process.
• How US Airforce saves $190m by screening applicants’ EQ.  Read More

Delivery & Pricing

This 1-day program is facilitated by a TalentSmartEQ certified consultant. Contact us for pricing.

Audience

Designed and developed by psychologists Dr. Travis Bradberry & Dr. Jean Greaves from Stanford and UCSD. This program is created for all hiring leaders and managers who wish to effectively hire Emotional Intelligent individuals for employment. Participants must have completed Mastering EQ Level 1. Brochure